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Abingdonboy @
ILLUMINATO :
Mayawati agrees to women Black Cats - Times Of India
Women black cats to guard Jayalalithaa, Mayawati - Sakshi Post
The larger point that the SRG of the NSG should either be disbanded, or reduced to a minimum is true. Initially the NSG was only raised as a counter terrorist cum hostage rescue force. Then the ego of politicians, and the status symbol of being seen with black guards, caused the NSG to swell, and a separate SRG to be created. Why raise commandos for doing bodyguard duties?
The state police forces should take over that job. Maybe the NSG (or more properly, the SPG) can train and advise the state police forces to raise small VVIP contingents to guard the likes of akhilesh and mayawati and jayalalita. Maybe they can maintain a small SRG unit in the NSG to give protection during important events like republic day, or upon hearing of an imminent threat to a person. But not as permanent status symbols for politicians.
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jhungary : The special operatives in the US military or SAS don't spend their career being bodyguards to state level politicians, do they? That is why everybody is gettiing so riled here. These women will serve in the SRG wing, not the SAG, which is an elite counter terror unit that conducts raids on militant hideouts, or hostage rescue missions.
However, I think @
Abingdonboy and others are missing the larger point, when they get upset specifically about women being inducted. What about the men who get inducted and trained in the SRG? They are as much a drain on resources, when they get sent to VVIP protection duties. If you believe that women are not suited for roles like black cats, and that men are more capable, then you should be less upset about women being trained for VVIP duties, since it is better that "only" women manpower (womenpower?) is getting diverted, and not men's manpower.
(In my opinion, for bodyguard duties, I don't see what difference it makes. Men and women can both shoot straight, and if they can operate the rifles and have good reflexes, what more do they need to protect a VVIP? It's not like they will get into a wrestling contest with an attacker. It's the SAG duties that require a lot of stamina and strength.)
We should be upset at the larger point, of training commandoes at such a great expense, providing them with world class weaponry, and then using them for close protection of so many politicians. It is high time we trimmed down the NSG, and made it focus on its original mandate, of counter terrorism.
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Indian Army : Without getting into the gender question, what is your opinion about the NSG? Do you think it should be downsized? Does it hurt the army to have so many soldiers go on deputation to the NSG? Does it help the army to have its soldiers do a stint in the NSG? (I mean, does it give them skill sets that they can use in the army when they return? I'm only talking about the SAG, of course.)